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2024 SoCon football schedule announced
36 league games are again on the slate for the fall of 2024
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference’s 36-game league football schedule for 2024 is set to get under way Saturday, Sept. 14, with a pair of FCS playoff participants from last season when Mercer visits Chattanooga.
Another solo SoCon game follows on Sept. 21 when Mercer hosts The Citadel. Three league games are set for Sept. 28, with ETSU visiting The Citadel, Furman hosting Samford and Wofford welcoming Mercer.
VMI and Western Carolina are the final two SoCon squads to get its league slate underway on Oct. 5. The Keydets visit Samford, while the Catamounts welcome Wofford. Each Saturday from Oct. 5 to Nov. 16 features four SoCon games.
Regular-season play wraps up for all nine SoCon squads on Saturday, Nov. 23, with the opening round of the FCS playoffs starting the following weekend. Three league games are set for the final day of the regular season.
Full broadcast schedules will be announced later, but all nine schools’ home games will air on ESPN+ if not selected for national or regional broadcast.
Furman, Chattanooga, Mercer and Western Carolina finished the 2023 campaign in the national rankings. Furman was No. 6 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 and No. 7 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. Chattanooga was 17th in the AFCA poll and 14th in the Stats Perform poll, while Mercer was 20th in the AFCA poll and 17th in the Stats Perform poll. Western Carolina came in at No. 23 in the Stats Perform poll and received votes in the AFCA poll. Samford also received votes in the AFCA poll.
Furman finished the 2023 campaign with a 10-3 record and went 7-1 in SoCon play, winning the league outright for the first time since 1990. The Paladins earned the No. 7 national seed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship, winning against Chattanooga before falling to second-ranked Montana, 35-28, in overtime in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. Montana would go on to play for the national title. Coach Clay Hendrix was the SoCon Coach of the Year and finished eighth in voting for the Stats Perform Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year.
Chattanooga and Mercer each won a game in the FCS playoffs. The Mocs defeated No. 12/18 Austin Peay, 24-21, in the first round, while the Bears topped Gardner-Webb, 17-7, giving the Bears their first win in the FCS playoffs in program history.
Thirty-two SoCon players earned All-American honors following the 2023 campaign, including 11 who claimed honors from multiple organizations. Six players – ETSU defensive back Sheldon Arnold II, Furman offensive lineman Jacob Johanning, Mercer wide receiver Ty James, wide receiver/return specialist Devron Harper and defensive back Lance Wise Jr., and Chattanooga defensive end Jay Person – were recognized by five organizations. Furman cornerback Travis Blackshear was selected by four organizations, while Western Carolina place kicker Richard McCollum received three nods. The Citadel long snapper Steele Judy and Samford wide receiver Brendan Jenkins and linebacker Noah Martin each had two selections.
2024 Southern Conference football schedule (league games only)
Sept. 14
Mercer at Chattanooga
Sept. 21
The Citadel at Mercer
Sept. 28
ETSU at The Citadel
Samford at Furman
Mercer at Wofford
Oct. 5
VMI at Samford
Wofford at Western Carolina
Chattanooga at ETSU
Furman at The Citadel
Oct. 12
The Citadel at Western Carolina
Samford at ETSU
Chattanooga at Furman
VMI at Wofford
Oct. 19
Wofford at Chattanooga
Mercer at Samford
Western Carolina at Furman
The Citadel at VMI
Oct. 26
Samford at The Citadel
ETSU at Wofford
Western Carolina at Mercer
VMI at Chattanooga
Nov. 2
Chattanooga at Western Carolina
Wofford at Samford
ETSU at Mercer
Furman at VMI
Nov. 9
Wofford at Furman
Western Carolina at ETSU
Chattanooga at The Citadel
Mercer at VMI
Nov. 16
Samford at Chattanooga
VMI at Western Carolina
The Citadel at Wofford
Furman at ETSU
Nov. 23
ETSU at VMI
Furman at Mercer
Western Carolina at Samford
Another solo SoCon game follows on Sept. 21 when Mercer hosts The Citadel. Three league games are set for Sept. 28, with ETSU visiting The Citadel, Furman hosting Samford and Wofford welcoming Mercer.
VMI and Western Carolina are the final two SoCon squads to get its league slate underway on Oct. 5. The Keydets visit Samford, while the Catamounts welcome Wofford. Each Saturday from Oct. 5 to Nov. 16 features four SoCon games.
Regular-season play wraps up for all nine SoCon squads on Saturday, Nov. 23, with the opening round of the FCS playoffs starting the following weekend. Three league games are set for the final day of the regular season.
Full broadcast schedules will be announced later, but all nine schools’ home games will air on ESPN+ if not selected for national or regional broadcast.
Furman, Chattanooga, Mercer and Western Carolina finished the 2023 campaign in the national rankings. Furman was No. 6 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 and No. 7 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. Chattanooga was 17th in the AFCA poll and 14th in the Stats Perform poll, while Mercer was 20th in the AFCA poll and 17th in the Stats Perform poll. Western Carolina came in at No. 23 in the Stats Perform poll and received votes in the AFCA poll. Samford also received votes in the AFCA poll.
Furman finished the 2023 campaign with a 10-3 record and went 7-1 in SoCon play, winning the league outright for the first time since 1990. The Paladins earned the No. 7 national seed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship, winning against Chattanooga before falling to second-ranked Montana, 35-28, in overtime in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. Montana would go on to play for the national title. Coach Clay Hendrix was the SoCon Coach of the Year and finished eighth in voting for the Stats Perform Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year.
Chattanooga and Mercer each won a game in the FCS playoffs. The Mocs defeated No. 12/18 Austin Peay, 24-21, in the first round, while the Bears topped Gardner-Webb, 17-7, giving the Bears their first win in the FCS playoffs in program history.
Thirty-two SoCon players earned All-American honors following the 2023 campaign, including 11 who claimed honors from multiple organizations. Six players – ETSU defensive back Sheldon Arnold II, Furman offensive lineman Jacob Johanning, Mercer wide receiver Ty James, wide receiver/return specialist Devron Harper and defensive back Lance Wise Jr., and Chattanooga defensive end Jay Person – were recognized by five organizations. Furman cornerback Travis Blackshear was selected by four organizations, while Western Carolina place kicker Richard McCollum received three nods. The Citadel long snapper Steele Judy and Samford wide receiver Brendan Jenkins and linebacker Noah Martin each had two selections.
2024 Southern Conference football schedule (league games only)
Sept. 14
Mercer at Chattanooga
Sept. 21
The Citadel at Mercer
Sept. 28
ETSU at The Citadel
Samford at Furman
Mercer at Wofford
Oct. 5
VMI at Samford
Wofford at Western Carolina
Chattanooga at ETSU
Furman at The Citadel
Oct. 12
The Citadel at Western Carolina
Samford at ETSU
Chattanooga at Furman
VMI at Wofford
Oct. 19
Wofford at Chattanooga
Mercer at Samford
Western Carolina at Furman
The Citadel at VMI
Oct. 26
Samford at The Citadel
ETSU at Wofford
Western Carolina at Mercer
VMI at Chattanooga
Nov. 2
Chattanooga at Western Carolina
Wofford at Samford
ETSU at Mercer
Furman at VMI
Nov. 9
Wofford at Furman
Western Carolina at ETSU
Chattanooga at The Citadel
Mercer at VMI
Nov. 16
Samford at Chattanooga
VMI at Western Carolina
The Citadel at Wofford
Furman at ETSU
Nov. 23
ETSU at VMI
Furman at Mercer
Western Carolina at Samford